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33rd Fighter Group | 58th, 59th and 60th Fighter Squadrons |12th, 10th & 14th AAF| theater-made patches


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33rd Fighter Group | 12th, 10th and 14th AAF | Europe, Africa and CBI

The 33rd Fighter Group was one of the more widely traveled American Fighter Groups of the Second World War, taking part in Operation Torch, the Tunisian campaign, the attack on Pantelleria, the invasions of Sicily and Italy and the Anzio campaign before being transferred to the Far East, fighting in China and Burma.

 

Constituted as 33d Pursuit Group (Interceptor) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Began training with P-39’s but soon changed to P-40’s. Served as part of the defense force for the east coast of the United States after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.

Redesignated 33d Fighter Group in May 1942. Moved to North Africa, part of the group (including the pilots and their planes) arriving with the invasion force on 8 Nov 1942, and the remainder arriving shortly afterwards. Operated with Twelfth AF in the Mediterranean theater until Feb 1944. Provided close support for ground forces and flew bombing and strafing missions against personnel concentrations, port installations, fuel dumps, bridges, highways, and rail lines during the campaigns in North Africa. Received a DUC for action on 15 Jan 1943 when enemy aircraft attempted to knock out the group’s base in Tunisia. The 33d drove off the enemy’s escort and destroyed most of the bombers. Took part in the reduction of Pantelleria and flew patrol missions while Allied troops landed after the enemy’s garrison had surrendered. Participated in the invasion and conquest of Sicily. Supported landings at Salerno, Allied operations in southern Italy, and the beachhead at Anzio.

Moved to India in Feb 1944. Assigned to Tenth AF. Trained with P-38 and P-47 aircraft. Moved to China in Apr, became part of Fourteenth AF, continued training, and flew some patrol and interception missions. Returned to India in Sept 1944 and, as part of Tenth AF, flew dive-bombing and strafing missions in Burma until the Allied campaigns in that area had been completed. Returned to the US, Nov-Dec 1945. Inactivated on 8 Dec 1945.

 

ASSIGNMENTS.

1940-1941: 7th Fighter Wing (later 47th Bombardment Wing)
August 1942-October 1942: Philadelphia Fighter Wing; I Fighter Command; First Air Force
November 1942-February 1944: Twelfth Air Force
1942: 7th Fighter Wing; XII Tactical Air Command; Twelfth Air Force (7th becomes 47th below)
1942-43: 47th Bombardment Wing; XII Bomber Command; Twelfth Air Force
1943: 64th Fighter Wing; XII Fighter Command; Twelfth Air Force
1943: 64th Fighter Wing; XII Tactical Air Command; Twelfth Air Force
February-April 1944: Tenth Air Force
April-September 1944: 312th Fighter Wing; Fourteenth Air Force
September 1944-: Tenth Air Force

 

SQUADRONS. 58th: 1941-1945. 59th: 1941-1945. 60th: 1941-1945; 459th FS: 12 May-5 Nov 1945.

STATIONS. Mitchel Field, NY, 15 Jan 1941; Philadelphia, Pa, 13 Dec 1941-Oct 1942; Port Lyautey, French Morocco, 10 Nov 1942; Casablanca, French Morocco, c. 13 Nov 1942; Telergma, Algeria, 24 Dec 1942; Thelepte, Tunisia, 7 Jan 1943; Youks-les-Rains, Algeria, 8 Feb 1943; Telergma, Algeria, c. 20 Feb 1943; Berteaux, Algeria, c. 2 Mar 1943; Ebba Ksour, Tunisia, c. 12 Apr 1943; Menzel Temime, Tunisia, 20 May 1943; Sousse, Tunisia, 9 Jun 1943; Pantelleria, 19 Jun 1943; Licata, Sicily, c. 18 Jul 1943; Paestum, Italy, 13 Sep 1943; Santa Maria, Italy, 18 Nov 1943; Cercola, Italy, c. 1 Jan-Feb 1944; Karachi, India, c. 20 Feb 1944; Shwangliu, China, c. 18 Apr 1944; Pungchacheng, China, 9 May 1944; Nagaghuli, India, 3 Sep 1944; Sahmaw, Burma, 26 Dec 1944; Piardoba, India, 5 May-c. 15 Nov 1945.

CAMPAIGNS. Air Combat, EAME Theater; Algeria-French Morocco; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; India-Burma; China Defensive; Central Burma.

INSIGNE. Shield: Azure, on a pale nebuly or a sword point to chief in pale of the field, flammant gules, all within a border of the second.

 

MOTTO: Fire From The Clouds. (Approved 21 Feb 1942.)

 

 

Embroidered on wool.

33rd%20FG-2-700e.jpg

 

 

 

Theater-made. Multi-piece-leather.

33rd%20FG-1-700e.jpg

 

 

P-40Fs of the 33rd Fighter Group are launched from USS Chenango on November 10th, 1942 in support of Operation Torch, the invasion of French North Africa.

 

P-40Fs%20of%20the%2033rd%20Fighter%20Gro

 

 

 

A 33rd FG P-40F, date and location unknown... possibly Thelepte, Tunisia, early 1943.

 

33rd%20FG%20P-40F,%20possibly%20Thelepte

 


58th Fighter Squadron

LINEAGE. Constituted 58th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941, Redesignated 58th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942. Inactivated on 8 Dec 1945.

STATIONS. Mitchel Field, NY, 15 Jan 1941 (operated from Farmingdale, NY, 7-14 Dec 1941); Philadelphia, Pa, 13 Dec 1941; Norfolk, Va, 16 Jan 194.2 (operated from San Francisco, Calif, May-Jun 1942); Langley Field, Va, 22 Sep-14 Oct 1942; Port Lyautey, French Morocco, 10 Nov 1942; Thelepte, Tunisia Feb 1943; Berteaux, Algeria, 2 Mar 1943; Ebba Ksour, Tunisia, 13 Apr 1943; Menzel Temime, Tunisia, 15 May 1943; Pantelleria, c. 28 Jun 1943; Licata, Sicily, 18 Jul 1943; Paestum, Italy, 14 Sep 1943; Santa Maria, Italy, 18 Nov 1943; Cercola, Italy, 1 Jan-c. 6 Feb 1944; Karachi, India, c. 18 Feb 1944; Pungchacheng, China, c. 30 Apr 1944; Moran, India, 31 Aug 1944; Sahmaw, Burma, 26 Dec 1944; Dudhkundi, India, c. 15 May-15 Nov 1945.

AIRCRAFT. P-39, 1941; P-40, 1941-1944; p-47, 1944-1945; P-38, 1944-1945.

OPERATIONS. Air defense of US, Dec 1941-Oct 1942. Combat in MTO, 10 Nov 1942-2 Feb 1944, and in CBI, 10 May 1944-12 May 1945.

CAMPAIGNS. Algeria-French Morocco with Arrowhead; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Air Combat, EAME Theater; India-Burma; China Defensive; Central Burma.

 

 

Theater-made. Multi-piece-leather.

58fs33rd%20FG-3-700.jpg

59th Fighter Squadron

LINEAGE. Constituted 59th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Redesignated 59th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942. Inactivated on 8 Dec 1945.

STATIONS. Mitchel Field, NY, 15 Jan 1941 (operated from Groton, Conn, 7-14 Dec 1941); G L Martin Aprt, Md, 15 Dec 1941; Philadelphia, Pa, 10 May-12 Oct 1942 (operated from Paine Field, Wash, May-Jun 1942); Port Lyautey, French Xlorocco, 10 Nov 1942; Casablanca, French Morocco, 17 Nov 1942; Thelepte, Tunisia, c. 8 Jan 1943; Youks-les-Bains, Algeria, 10 Feb 1943; Telergma, Algeria, 13 Feb 194.3; Berteaux, Algeria, 2 Mar 1943 (operated from Thelepte, Tunisia, 20 Mar-12 Apr 1943); Ebba Ksour, Tunisia, 12 Apr 1943; Menzel Temime, Tunisia, 20 May 1943; Sousse, Tunisia, g Jun 1943; Pantelleria, 18 Jun 1943; Licata, Sicily, 16 Jul 1943; Paestum, Italy, 13 Sep 1943; Santa Maria, Italy, 18 Nov 1943 (operated from Paestum, Italy, 1-31 Dec 1943); Cercola, Italy, c. 1 Jan-c. 5 Feb 1944; Karachi, India, 12 Feb 1944; Fungwanshan, China, ig Mar 1944; Moran, India, 5 Sep 1944; Nagaghuli, India, 21 Nov 194.4; Piardoba, India, 2 May 1945; Dudhkundi, India, 15 May-15 Nov 1945.

AIRCRAFT. P-39, 1941; P-40, 1941-1944; p-47, 1944-1945; P-38, 1944-1945.

OPERATIONS. Air defense of US, Dec 1941-Oct 1942. Combat in MTO, 10 Nov 1942-2 Feb 1944, and CBI, 5 Jun 1944-18 Jun 1945.

CAMPAIGNS. Algeria-French Morocco with Arrowhead; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Air Combat, EAME Theater; India-Burma;
China Defensive; Central Burma.

EMBLEM. On a medium blue disc, border black, a caricatured tan lion with claws and teeth white, leaping through the air over a large white cloud formation and five yellow stars in dexter base. (Approved 24 Jul 1944.)

 

 

Theater-made. Multi-piece leather with painted detail.

59fs33fg10aaf%2033rd%20FG-1-1-1-3-700.jp

 

 

59th Fighter Squadron | India, 1945.

59fs-India%201945ce-1000.jpg

 


60th Fighter Squadron

LINEAGE. Constituted 60th Pursuit Squadron (Interceptor) on 20 Nov 1940. Activated on 15 Jan 1941. Redesignated 60th Fighter Squadron on 15 May 1942, Inactivated on 8 Dec 1945.

STATIONS. Mitchel Field, NY, 15 Jan 1941; Bolling Field, DC, 8 Dec 1941-12 Oct 1942; Port Lyautey, French Morocco, 10 Nov 1942; Casablanca, French Morocco, 17 Nov 1942; Oujda, Algeria, 6 Dec 1943; Telergma, Algeria, 26 Dec 1942; Youks-les-Bains, Algeria, c. 5 Jan 1943; Telergma, Algeria, 17 Feb 1943; Berteaux, Algeria, 2 Mar 1943; Ebba Ksour, Tunisia, 12 Apr 1943; Menzel Temime, Tunisia, 22 May 1943; Sousse, Tunisia, 10 Jun 1943; Pantelleria, 21 Jun 1943; Licata, Sicily, 17 Jul 194-3; Paestum, Italy, 13 Sep 1943; Santa Maria, Italy, 18 Nov 1943 (operated from Paesturn,
Italy, 1-31 Dec 1943); Cercola, Italy, c. 1 Jan-c. 5 Feb 1944; Karachi, India, c. 20 Feb 1944; Shwangliu, China, c. 17 Apr 1944; Nagaghuli, India, c. 1 Sep 1944; Sahmaw, Burma, 20 Nov 1944; Myitkyina, Burma, 8 May 1945; Piardoba, India, 1 Oct-15 Nov 1945.

AIRCRAFT. P-39, 1941; P-40, 1941-1944; P-47, 1944-1945; P-38, 1945.

OPERATIONS. Air defense of US, Dec 1941-Oct 1942. Combat in MTO, 10 Nov 1942-2 Feb 1944, and CBI, 29 Apr 1944-2 Aug 1945.

CAMPAIGNS. Algeria-French Morocco with Arrowhead; Tunisia; Sicily; Naples-Foggia; Anzio; Rome-Arno; Air Combat, EAME Theater; India-Burma; China Defensive; Central Burma; Air Combat, Asiatic-Pacific Theater.

EMBLEM. On a disc of green within a border of black, piped blue, a caricatured crow of black; feet, beak, and tie yellow, wearing an aviator’s helmet of blue, goggles white, and a checkered vest of alternate blue and white checks, holding in his wings a “tommy” gun of red. (Approved 15 May 1942.)


Theater-made. Chain-stitched. Likely made in North Africa.

60fs%2033rd%20FG-1-1-1-2-700.jpg

 

 

Theater-made. Multi-piece leather.

60fs%2033rd%20FG-1-1-1-1-700.jpg

 

 

459th Fighter Squadron | 14th AAF

 

See my post, here.

 

Sources:

 

Maurer. Air Force Combat Squadrons of World War II.

Maurer. Air Force Combat Units of World War II.

 

 

 

 

33fg10-12aaf

58fs33fg10aaf

59fs33fg10aaf

60fs33fg10aaf

459fs33fg14aaf

 

58th FS 33rd FG 12AAF

59th FS 33rd FG 12AAF

60th FS 33rd FG 12AAF

459th FS 33rd FG 14AAF

 

 

 

 

 

 

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